I just wanted to warn you and put this out there real quick: Firefox 18 requires a new SSL library. It's no longer compatible with Ubuntu 9.10:The SSL library does not seem to be the issue. I've checked and had the same ldd ouput with Firefox v. 17. Rather, the problem appears to be the libc version. (See mirabilos' comment at the lwn announcement.)

There goes the last Blogger compatible Browser. It does not appear to be a problem with the update, as I first thought. Downloading a fresh installation did not change anything with the issue. Maybe it's a packaging error, though, and hopefully the necessary libraries will simply be included with future packages of the browser. The beta version already had the same issue.

Hence for now, sadly, it seems Opera is now the only modern browser still compatible with my old system... Don't get me wrong, I really like Opera, it's usually the fastest browser in my experience. But it's simply not as compatible as Firefox with some websites, and not properly supported by most Google services (Blogger, Mail, ...). I'm using the plain HTML interface with Google Mail when I'm in Opera. It's not pretty, but surprisingly fast.

Oh and - before people complain - trust me: I have good reasons for still running an old system... just click on the poulsbo tag.

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10 comments:

It's the Linux way and usually cool that everything always gets updated. But it's kind of sad that while Windows XP released in 2001 still runs pretty much every piece of Software released for Windows, a three year old Linux doesn't even run most modern browsers. And usually browsers have really great compatibility, because they are the basis for all webapps.

Keep in mind this blog post is regarding a binary distribution: Ubuntu. They determine how compatible each release will be with each other. I use a rolling release distro so I've never had to worry about not having necessary updates. And even if it was installed in 2001, it would still be updated today. There are lots of incompatibilities with Vista/7/8 in part due to different driver models, XP's poor 64-bit support, not having aero support, win8's new "app store". You do know you cannot install IE 10 on XP without dll hacking and the like, right? And isn't IE 10 the "modern browser"?

At least on linux you can compile or use a different repo with the proper setup for newer software (like xorg edgers).

Altough why you would be staying on 9.10, that does not provide any security updates for anything on the first place? The next version 10.04 would have been just as good, and that would be supported at least till this March.

Not sure what the problem is? So you're complaining that the latest version of Firefox doesn't run on a version of Ubuntu that's been unsupported since April 2011? So Mozilla should make sure Firefox runs on an orphaned OS?

If the lack of hardware video acceleration is an issue then install Lubuntu or if you want a GNOME 2ish experience then go with Mint Mate edition.

1. Well there was support until FF 17. I'm not sure what changed? And if anything should be backwards compatible, it's a browser, because it's just so important. FF still runs on an orphaned over a decade old Windows XP, so why not on a 3 year old Linux?

2. There will be no proper accelaration with a current Ubuntu: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PoulsboObsoleteDrivers#PSB_driver.

But hopefully someone will eventually work on vaapi acceleration for the gma500_gfx driver...

I have a suggestion: if you want to be credible, check your English... it might appear to you as unimportant and petty, but stuff like "Tipps" in you blog title really sucks. Also, "I though" instead of "I thought", is also a great let-down...

PS: another thing that doesn't work here is commenting with an OpenID account (I get "Your OpenID credentials could not be verified." red line when I try that.

1. It's proper German, and when I first started I was going to write in German. Now it's a bit late to change the address, especially since another blog has the other address. Btw. "really sucks" does not sounds too credible, either.